Device by which persons approaching icay open gates



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROYAL E. HOUSE, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

DEVICE BY WHICH PERSONS APPROACHING- MAY OPEN GATES.

Specication of Letters Patent No.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROYAL E. HOUSE, of Binghamton, in the county of Broome, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful process for opening and closing road-gates while riding on horseback or in a vehicle and also a new and useful apparatus by which the new process may be practiced; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings and the letters marked thereon.

Figure 1, is a perspective drawing; Figs. 3, L1, 5, 6, side elevations of detached parts; Figs. 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, plan of det-ached parts.

The gate posts and hinged gate E, F, G, Fig. 1, are made in the usual manner except such parts as will hereafter be explained. The semicircular gate-road A, B, O, D, is a section of the main road made suficiently wide for passing vehicles. The radius on the inner side of the road is about twice the length of the gate, and at or near the central point of the semicircle. The supporting central post H, is set in the ground at a proper depth, and the upper end firmly fastened to post E, by rail I, and the upper end of post E, is kept in its proper place by guy I. The central vertical shaft L, has two radial arms M, and N, extending in opposite directions over the gate road, and at a suitable distance above it. The upper ends of draft Cords, O, P, are fastened to sliding rings Q, R, placed on the divergent ends of the radial arms. The distance through which the rings may slide is limited by stops L, T, and the .length of the draft cords should be such as to allow the lower end to hang within reach of a person riding through the gate road either on horse back or in a vehicle. The concentric ends of the radial arms are fastened by being mortised into the central shaft, and the divergent ends are supported in their proper position by guys U, U, V, V, IV, W, X, X, and cross piece Y. The cam arms a, b, o, CZ, are of equal length and project from the axis of the central shaft at right angles and also at right angles in radial lines from each other as shown in Figs. 1, and 2. Around the central shaft below the turning plane of the arms a, b, and above the turning plane of the arms c, d, is made an annular groove e.

The central shaft is held in its proper position by journal boxes f, g, firmly atof the cam arms a Z2.

16,386, dated January 13, 1857.

tached to supporting post H, on the upper edge of journal box f, two elevations are made by forming four inclined planes, the weight of the central shaft is made to bear upon one or the other' of the inclined planes by means of the wheel c', hung on an axle pin, projecting out of the shaft. The relative position of the wheel and the inclined planes must be such that the wheel will be at the lowest point of the inclined planes when the gate is closed. The alternating rod 7c, at one end is opened into two parts Z, m, which are fitted so as to slide back and forth in groove e, e. The curved block 0 p g r, is permanent-ly fastened to the upper side of sliders Z m, and on the turning plane The curved block s 1f u, is rmly fastened to the under side of the alternating rod and on the turning plane of the cam arms o el, and the other end of the rod 7c, is attached by hinge o, to the upper end of hinged gate stile w. The eye H,

of upper gate hinge is elongated as shown in Fig. 2. The catch y, is hung in t-he gate post on an axial pin and the distance of oscillation is limited by fixed stops. The spring L, holds the catch in its proper position. The plate is fixed to the gate stile. The aperture in the plate is large enough to allow the catch to pass in so as to latch.

hen iron is to be used instead of wood, the spur wheel a Fig. 11, may be used on shaft L instead of the cam arms. The pinion b, and crank e', and connecting rod d would be used instead of the curved blocks and alternating rod. The pinion b', turns on axle pin e, Fig. 10 connected to box f, and fastened on top of post H. Figs. 8, 9, represent the same in bevel gear instead of spur gear, but with bevel gear the use of the inclined planes on box f, and the wheel Yc' on shaft L, must be discontinued, and other self closing apparatus substituted which will not affect the gearing.

In using a` crank and connecting rod the gearing should be such that the crank will make two revolutions to the radial arms one, and the relative positions of the crank and radial arms such, that the connecting rod closes the gate when the radial arms are at A, and D. When a sliding gate or rolling gate is used instead of a swing gate it should be placed across the road equidistant from the draft cords.

In the operation of the apparatus in opening the gate the pulling of the draft cord O or P from A toward B or from D toward C moves the radial arms M N shaft L and cam arms a c d by which the cam arm a or b is pressed against its respective end of curved block 0 p g r causing the block to recede from the shaft and conveying with it the alternating rod 70 sliding in groove e c and pulling the top of the gate so as to cause the lower hinge to act as a fulcrum until the latch end .of the gate is lifted up out of the catch y. The gate is then pulled open by the time the radial arm M or il is turned from A to B or from D to C and the cam arm a or is turned from 0 to p or from r to g and by either of these movements the shaft L is elevated by the Wheel z' ascending an inclined plane on box f. The gate will be held open While turning either of the radial arms from B to C or from C to B, causing the cam arm a or b to move from p to g or from g to p. The closing and latching of the gate is effected by moving either of the radial arms from B to A or from C to D which cause cam arm c or d to press against its respective side of curved block s t u causing it to recede from the shaft and carrying with it the alternating rod which forces the gate to swing around and latch, and at the same time the shaft is lowered by the Wheel z' descending an inclined plane on boX f.

The parts of the apparatus before described may be varied in construction, to suit the taste of the builder, having due regard to their proportionate size and strength respectively.

The process of opening, holding open and closing a road gate, by a person on horseback, or in a vehicle, While riding through the gate road, is to take hold of the draft cord at A, and ride With it through the gate passage to D, or to take hold of the draft cord at D, and ride with it to A.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The process as herein described, for opening and closing road gates While riding on horseback or in a vehicle through the gate passage, and also the apparatus arranged as herein described for the purposes set forth.

ROYAL E. HOUSE. Witnesses B. N. LooMrs, FRANK LooMIs. 

